


Harmonic Divergence Book 1: Blood

by Minubell



Series: Avatar: Harmonic Divergence [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: A legend of korra rewrite, Gen, as in the whole damn thing, let's do this boyos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-08-23 10:09:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20241124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minubell/pseuds/Minubell
Summary: The White Lotus and her parents think about the four year old girl in the other room. The headstrong, stubborn, impatient, four year girl playing in the other room, completely unaware she's the bridge between two worlds. Soon, she'll become the most powerful person in the world, capable of bending all four elements with ease. For now, she throws temper tantrums when it's bedtime.....Sixteen, they agree.They'll tell her she's the Avatar at sixteen.Updates about once a week





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Harmonic Divergence is a Legend of Korra AU in which Raava and Vaatu never existed (And the Avatar’s origins, as a result, are left unexplained). Korra is still the Avatar, but in an attempt to return to the traditional way of doing things, the members of the White Lotus and her parents opt to not inform her of her status prior to sixteen. Korra does not manifest her other bending abilities early in this AU.
> 
> Other notable changes include:  
Psychic Bloodbending does not exist, and blood bending can only be performed under the full moon  
There will be no new airbenders, and the only airbenders who appear in this series will be Tenzin and his family  
Korra will have actual bending masters teach her aside from Tenzin during the fic.

“Are you so sure our daughter is the _one_?”

It had been storming outside when the delegation of men showed up at their door, dressed in nondescript, blue robes that did little to shelter them from the bitter cold outside. A small lantern had been the only thing to guide them through the snow, but fortunately their small home was not that far away from the bustling harbor city that was the Southern Water Tribe’s capitol. Tonraq and Senna had received a warning in advance that the White Lotus would be visiting their home, but the news still came as a shock to them both. 

“We have investigated many claims both here and in the Northern Water Tribe, and all of them have turned out to be false,” The leader of the White Lotus replied, and one of his associates let out a small, exhausted sigh. Avatar Aang passed away four years ago, and they had been journeying in search of the new Avatar nearly as long. It had been a long few years. “Your daughter, on the other hand, is the first child who passed the test.”

“I don’t understand,” Tonraq said, his hand finding his wife’s. Senna gave his hand a small squeeze in return, and leaned against him. “All she did was pick a few toys out of a pile. How does that prove she’s the Avatar?”

“Avatar Aang left those relics in our care to help us locate the next Avatar,” The leader of the White Lotus explained, glancing to the numerous toys scattered around the floor. They were in no rush to pick them up, since this home would be the last in their journey. There would be no more children to visit after this one, and they would finally be able to rest now that the new Avatar had been located. “Amongst the Air Nomads, it was tradition to present a child with thousands of toys, with those four relics mixed in. Your daughter selected the toys that belonged to Avatars of the past. Her own past lives. The fact she picked the toys familiar to her proves her identity beyond a doubt.” 

“Should we tell her?” Senna asked after a short pause, exchanging a look with her husband. They both turned their gaze to the doorway nearby, where Korra had run off to play with the new toys she had selected. Their loud and rambunctious daughter was blissfully ignorant of the conversation going on just a room away from where she was playing, but they could hear her laughter faintly echoing through their home. 

“Not yet,” The leader of the White Lotus replied with a shake of his head. “Previously, Avatars were only told of their identity on their sixteenth birthday. The world is no longer at war, we can afford to bring this tradition back. Let her grow up and have a normal childhood.” 

“She will need a waterbending master,” One of the White Lotus members added. “Her training in her native element should begin early so she can master it well before trying her hand at the other three bending disciplines.”

“My wife and I can teach her,” Tonraq said with a nod. “We’re both waterbenders, I’m sure we can manage it.” 

“Actually,” The White Lotus leader replied, “We had someone else in mind for that. I am sure you are familiar with Katara? She offered her services to teach your daughter. As she both trained and trained with the previous Avatar, we feel as though her insight will be invaluable.”

“Very well,” Senna replied, “But I have a request. Korra can be reckless, and a little headstrong. Can we wait to begin her training until she’s a little older and more mature? I’d rather not have to worry about my four year old burying me under a pile of snow because she doesn't want to eat her vegetables.”

The members of the White Lotus glanced at each other for a few seconds before apparently coming to a silent agreement. “Seven,” The leader replied with a nod. “We can wait until she’s seven to begin training her in waterbending. That will still give her nine years to master waterbending before moving on to earthbending.” 

“Tonraq and I can introduce her to the basics before Katara steps in,” Senna added, finding this compromise agreeable. 

“Very well,” The White Lotus leader replied with a nod, and his companions began to pick up the toys scattered around the floor and place them back into the bags they originally carried them in. The storm outside sounded like there may be a small break, which could be their chance to make it back to the capitol without ending up freezing halfway down the snow-covered hill. “We’ll keep in touch with you in the meantime, of course.” 

Only a few minutes later the Order of the White Lotus was gone, leaving Senna and Tonraq staring out into the swirling storm, slowly coming to terms with the conversation they had just had. 

"Our daughter is the bridge between two worlds," Tonraq muttered softly.

"Well," Senna replied, turning to go back inside, "It's the bridge between two worlds' bedtime."


	2. Katara of the Water Tribe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos, everyone! Getting to 5 so fast inspired me to post the next chapter sooner :)

“Korra, could you come in here?”Korra jerked her head upright and scrambled to her feet, racing towards the doorway into the other room. She only made it a few paces, however, before suddenly screeching to a halt and turning on her heel, running back towards where she had been sitting and lifting the bowl of water up off the floor. Cargo safely held out in front of her, she bolted towards the other room, a wide, toothy smile set on her face.

“Mommy look, I was practicing!” She announced, coming to a sudden halt at her mother’s feet, sending most of the water in the bowl sloshing over the rim and onto the stone floor. Korra didn’t seem to notice, too busy beaming up at her mother to even register that she was now standing in a decently-sized puddle. 

“Really?” Her mother asked, and to her credit hardly batted an eye at the water on the floor. Then again, spilling water on the ground was hardly the worst thing Korra had done in the seven years she’d been alive, and probably one of the easiest to clean up. As if to prove this point, Senna raised a hand and the water on the floor rose up off the ground, forming a small stream that snaked its way back into the bowl, leaving the floor dry once more. “Why don’t you show me then?”

Korra nodded and set the bowl of water on the ground with a loud thud before taking a small step backwards, falling into a lower stance with one foot placed in front of the other, both knees slightly bent. She took a deep breath before lifting both arms up and began to rock her body back and forth. Her slow but slightly clunky movements began to work, and as she moved her arms forwards and backwards the water in the bowl began to move, forming small ripples that gradually became a small wave that pushed and pulled along with her movements. 

“That’s very good Korra,” Senna said, a smile forming on her face. Korra beamed up at her mother, jumping out of her stance and placing both hands on her hips proudly. 

“That’s right, I’m going to be the best waterbender ever!” She boasted, lifting her chin up towards the sky with a grin.

“Only with practice,” Senna replied, and her hand reached out and ruffled her daughter’s hair. Korra yelped in response and swatted at the offending hand, but the smile never left her face. “Speaking of practice,” Senna declared, retracting her arm when her daughter’s hair was a ruffled mess. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Is it a puppy?!” Korra asked eagerly, practically vibrating with excitement as she took her mother’s hand and followed her towards the door. They paused for a moment near the door leading outside, just long enough for Korra to pull on her blue coat and boots before walking out the door. “Or a poodle pony? Or a weasel snake? Or a singing groundhog?” Or a-““Actually,” Tonraq spoke up as they walked outside, standing not too far away from the entrance to their home. “None of those.” Standing next to him, instead of some kind of pet like Korra _wanted_ was an elderly woman donned in traditional Water Tribe clothing. Her white hair was tied back in a low bun, with the exception of two bits of hair that looped from the front of her hair and tied into the bun in some kind of hair…loopie. 

“You got me an old lady?” Korra asked, squinting suspiciously before looking up at her mother in confusion and completely missing as her father barely resisted introducing his face to the palm of his hand. 

“No, Korra,” Her father replied with a loud sigh. “Korra, this is Katara. She’s a famous waterbending master, and she has agreed to teach you waterbending.” 

“Oh,” Korra replied faintly, a dejected frown forming on her lips as she looked downwards, kicking her boots through the snow. They had gotten her all excited for a surprise, and now she was just left disappointed staring at the old woman instead of a cool pet.

“Korra?” Her mother asked, crouching down alongside her daughter to look her in the eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“I wanted a puppy,” Korra replied, puffing out her cheeks in a pout and crossing her arms. “This is just…some old lady.”

“Korra!” Both of her parents exclaimed and her daddy quickly turned towards Katara, obviously embarrassed. Before he could open his mouth to apologize, Katara lifted up a hand and waved him away, taking a step towards where Korra was pouting, still refusing to look at anything except her feet.

“It’s alright. I raised three of my own children, and my own brother. I’ve developed quite the expertise for dealing with children.” Katara came to a stop still several feet away, a warm smile fixed to her face as she turned to address Korra rather than her parents. “You’re quite right that I’m old, Korra. But looks can be deceiving, and I believe you’ll find that I still have more than a few tricks up my sleeve.” She fell back into a familiar waterbending stance and made a graceful, sweeping gesture with her hands. The snow nearby began to move, swirling around itself, piling higher and higher and molding into a shape. Korra couldn’t help but look up at the display, her eyes growing wide as snow swirled through the air like a miniature storm. When Katara finally lowered her arms, Korra was staring at familiar features gazing back at her, only made out of snow.

“It’s me!” Korra exclaimed in delight, circling quickly around the snowman Katara had made to resemble her. Katara had somehow even managed to get her spiky ponytail accurate, and the fluffy collar of her coat. Korra cooed over her snowman duplicate for several moments before finally turning her attention back to Katara, her eyes wide. “How’d you do that?”

“I trained alongside Avatar Aang and helped him defeat Firelord Ozai at the end of the Hundred Years War,” Katara replied with a smile, “I’m one of the most powerful waterbenders in the South Pole. I can do a lot more than just make snowmen.” 

“Show me,” Korra said softly. After a moment she bounced closer to Katara, grabbing ahold of the edge of her coat and tugging on it insistently. “Show me!” She begged, louder this time. The only waterbending she had been allowed to practice was making little waves in bowls of water, and while her parents sometimes would waterbend outside it was only for boring things like clearing away snow from their doorway after a storm or making sure the path down to the city was clear. But this! This was cool! Katara chuckled and placed a hand on her head, giving her a reassuring pat.

“How about this?” Katara asked. “You’ll let me teach you waterbending. Every time you master something new, I’ll show you something that you’ll be able to do when you’re a waterbending master.” She held out a hand to Korra, a smile on her face. “Deal?” 

“Deal!” Korra replied, barely giving Katara enough time to finish her statement before she slapped her hand against the waterbending master’s, giving it a firm shake. “I’m going to be the best waterbender ever!” As if to prove this point, she dropped into a low stance and punched outwards in a fast jab. Unlike the fluid, graceful motions of traditional waterbending however, the punch was more akin to a fast firebending jab, and the result was less than average. Instead of a fluid stream of water, a bit of snow from a nearby mound flopped pitifully onto the ground. Korra didn’t seem to notice the rather pitiful display, instead beaming up at her new teacher with a wide grin.

“I’m sure you will be,” Katara replied as she slipped into a more traditional waterbending stance that Korra had sometimes seen her mother and father adopt. “But first, you’ll need to master your basics. Waterbending is all about slow, calm, fluid movements. Try to follow my lead.” She began to sway, pushing and pulling the snow-which quickly melted into a stream of water-and began to stream the water. Korra stared at her in confusion, not yet sinking into the same stance, and tipped her head to one side in confusion. 

“Wait… This looks easy!” Korra huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. It was just moving water back and forth! Why couldn’t they start with something more fun like making snowmen or avalanches or freezing things solid? Those were all things she wanted to learn how to do, not something lame like wiggling water back and forth. “I wanna do something harder!”

“Patience, Korra,” Katara replied gently, never falling out of her own stance and still streaming the water through the air. With a flick of her wrists, the stream of water flowed around Korra, wiggling in the air like a prickle snake. “You’ll get to more difficult things soon, but for now you’ll need to perfect your stance and motions. The sooner you show me you’ve mastered your basics, the sooner I can teach you more difficult techniques.” Korra scrunched up her nose but gave in with a loud sigh, sinking into a stance similar to Katara’s and lifted her arms. She began to make similar motions to Katara, but unlike the waterbending master’s, her movements were clunkier and more rigid. Her attempts to stream the water were similarly clunky and rigid, and it took her a great deal of effort to siphon some water out of a bucket nearby. She wasn’t able to melt snow into water just yet, unfortunately. Changing the state of water would fun, that was something she _really_ wanted to do. That way she could make ice sculptures and snowmen and maybe a path to sled down made entirely of ice so it would go really fast. The ball of water trembled as it floated upwards, slowly drifting away from the bucket and closer to her. Her arms shook as she struggled to stream the water just like Katara. Despite how it looked at first, it was actually pretty difficult to wiggle the water back and forth through the air. 

“Very good, Korra,” Katara praised as her new student grappled with the water, struggling to with the graceful movements that were required of waterbending. Katara slipped out of her own stance, however, and gently prodded Korra’s feet into a more appropriate stance. The nudge, though it was very small, almost made her lose focus and drop the ball of water onto the ground. Thankfully, Korra managed to recover fairly quickly and the stream of water resumed it’s awkward dance through the air. “Just feel the water flow back and forth, pushing and pulling like the tides.”

“I _am_ good,” Korra replied, her eyebrows knitting together in concentration. “I told you, I’m going to be the best waterbender ever! Even better than you!” Katara only smiled, falling back into position alongside her new student and streaming the water alongside her.

"You better work hard, then."


End file.
